| Twenty five years ago, the reptile world was | | | | on their tails; their heads are usually creamy and |
| shocked by a few new pictures of an unknown - | | | | feature some orange and yellow tones. As the boa |
| until that time - color morph of boa, the albino boa | | | | grows older the yellow tones become more intense |
| constrictor. The new baby boas were imported from | | | | and give an overall impression of a yellowish snake. |
| Colombia to California, and were the first albino boa | | | | The main characteristic of this boa constrictor color |
| constrictors ever in the US. The owner of those four | | | | morph is that it is amelanistic, meaning that it lacks |
| snakes sold one of the male albino constrictors to | | | | melanin. This makes the colors of the boa brighter |
| Pete Kahl, from Baltimore, who decided to breed the | | | | and justifies the lack of the intense red that |
| new male albino, becoming the first person ever to | | | | characterises the boa constrictors. The albino boa |
| breed albino boas in captivity. | | | | constrictor is still though considered to be one of the |
| The albino constrictor is nor often referred to as | | | | most challenging types of snake to breed. |
| either the Albino original or Kahl Albino. The vast | | | | Breeding an albino boa constrictor is not easy, a fact |
| majority of albinos in the market today come from | | | | that justifies the elevated prices - although quite |
| this type. Kahl had invested almost $25000 back in | | | | reduced in comparison with the 90s. The albino boa |
| 1989, but his investment proved to be extremely | | | | constrictor is known to create certain deformities |
| lucrative. The price of an Albino boa constrictor today | | | | when crossed with another albino, although this is |
| has dropped dramatically, since many people | | | | something that still causes many controversies |
| managed since had breeding success with them. | | | | amongst experts. Many breeders insist that crossing |
| Individuals who want to find an albino boa today can | | | | two albinos often results in deformities, while some |
| get one with relative ease at a price that won't | | | | others insist on the purity of the bloodlines, |
| break the bank, although the true albino constrictor is | | | | encouraging in-breeding of albinos. |
| still a rare and unique snake. The Albino boa is by far | | | | Albino boa breeders tend to cross amelanistic with |
| one of the most popular boa morphs, providing a | | | | anerythristic snakes so as to create new types, such |
| base to many variations of the original morph. There | | | | as the snow boas, or explore other options. In any |
| are complex morphs available today such as the | | | | case where the selective breeding of albino boas is |
| jungle albinos, motley albinos and the sunglow boas. | | | | certainly an issue; the welfare of the snakes should |
| The Albino boas are usually white with red patterns | | | | be considered above all else. |